The Electoral Affairs Commission for Macau’s Legislative Assembly Election and the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau (DICJ) held a joint meeting with representatives of the gaming industry on Wednesday, emphasizing that all gaming operators must remain neutral and impartial in this year’s legislative assembly election.
All six gaming concessionaires, sub-concessionaires and local associations for gaming promoters participated in the meeting. The Chairman of the Electoral Affairs Commission, Tong Hio Fong, explained that all employees working in the industry must remain neutral while on duty, cannot display any campaigning material on company premises nor conduct any campaigning activities during working hours.
“Gaming operators have an obligation to remind their employees of these regulations, in order for them not to breach their duty to be neutral and impartial,” Tong said.
“If any employees violate the rules, it would be their own responsibility. In cases of potential offenses, the employing companies concerned should report it immediately to the Electoral Affairs Commission or the DICJ to ask for follow-up actions.”
Macau will hold this year’s legislative assembly election on 12 September, with 26 of the 33 seats to be elected directly or indirectly by the public. The nomination period for direct and indirect seats runs from 11 March to 15 June, and candidates can collect nominations from qualified voters.
However, in accordance with current legislation regulations in Macau, candidates are not allowed to launch public propaganda activities during this period.
According to a statement from the SAR government, gaming operators at Wednesday’s meeting promised to fully cooperate with their obligations.
